Video: Palestinian Christian Reveals the Reality Over the Propaganda

In April 2012, CBS’s 60 Minutes broadcast one of the most biased pieces of reporting of that year (and a Dishonest Reporter Award finalist) on the status of Christians in the Holy Land. Bob Simon presented an unbalanced picture blaming Israel for virtually every difficulty experienced by Palestinian Christians.

The segment included an interview with Christy, a young Palestinian from Bethlehem, whose family home had been affected by Israel’s security barrier on three sides. Christy was forced to flee to the UK to escape persecution by Palestinians who disagree with her political views and sympathy for Israel’s case. At a meeting in London in 2013, Christy explained to me how Bob Simon and CBS had, through selective editing, misrepresented her views on the security barrier and the situation of Christians in Bethlehem.

Christy greatly impressed me, both for her courageous stance and the intelligent manner in which she presented her side of the Palestinian issue in stark contrast to the anti-Israel propaganda that so dominates the discourse.

We were, however, unable to report Christy’s case on the HonestReporting site at the time due to the precarious situation that she and her family back in Bethlehem found themselves in.

Now, despite having experienced death threats both in Bethlehem and in the UK, Christy has very bravely put her story on YouTube in the form of a lecture given to a Swedish university and a personal appeal to Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat to hold to a promise given to her that a Palestinian state would respect fundamental human rights and democracy.

Christy gives us a view of life under the Palestinian Authority not often told, particularly from the media that all too often downplays or completely ignores the lack of freedom and internal violence within Palestinian society.

UPDATE

Christy’s family has publicly denounced her following the airing of this video. More at The Times of Israel.

You are a lovely, very brave and courageous lady. I hope and pray you are safe and wish you all the luck in the world and hope your life in Britain becomes a happy, healthy and free one, keep on standing your ground and remember how important you are to yourself and others, let no one come between your beliefs and your views whatever they may be, stay strong, you are a very special and inspirational woman and you have every right in the world to be counted, this world can be nasty and cruel in so many ways but I believe you will be able to find all the kind and wonderful things of the world that are present too, I hope you are safe and protected and have a truly wonderful life here, Gd bless you xxxxxxx

This is amazing! This is one courageous Christian young lady willing to sacrifice her life to expose the truth in on-going conflicts between Israel and PLO. May God bless this young lady and continue to grant the courage and strength… wisdom and understanding. I pray that God continue to protect her under his wings.

This is amazing! This is one courageous Christian young lady willing to sacrifice herself to expose the truth in on-going conflicts between Israel and PLO. May God bless this young lady and continue to grant the courage and strength… wisdom and understanding. I pray that God continue to protect her under his wings.

I was so very much impress by your courage,to stand for the truth and speak about it, with boldness.
May the GOD almighty bless you and protect you and fill you life with his Love,Peace,Joy and wisdom.
even though we my face adversity;The great Almighty GOD! Creator of the Vast universe will not leave us nor fore sake us,Shalom.

G-d bless you and protect you and your courageous, outspoken opinions. I certainly hope that more people will hear your true stories, and understand that spreading lies about Israel only prolongs the suffering of both sides of the conflict.

Im a jew living in Jerusalem. I share my bus stop and shops , leisure and government facilities with Christian Arabs and Israeli Druze. It pained me so much to hear how much suffering is caused from both sides in this conflict and how unfortunate this situation is. How our leaders are fighting a terrible war. Sad that she is going through this but so strong to continue.

We can only wish and hope that more women would speak up in reference to what they see and hear on daily basis.. let us all give this young lady a hand sharing her story in reference to the truth we so seldom hear.